Jason, after buying a brand new boat I would give ya the advice to go for the lsv. your going to get an incredible wake out of all three for wakeboarding and surfing. 10 g's less is a really big bonus. lsv and mastercraft are going to have more of an open feel to them for seating, but the nati has quite a few more seating options that are very unique and interesting. From what i've seen, they all have great storage, once again the nati has some very unique storage places as well. dad has on 01 23 foot malibu, and the wake is as good as my 07 enzo that i have. I'll say it again, is there a dealer close by for all 3 boats your looking at, will they treat you right when you take the boat to them??

That's a no brainer... Save the $10k and get the Malibu (I'm a Nautique guy).

None of those three are the top choices for a pro level wake but you can probably get what you want out of the wake with proper weighting with any of them. I know that a few pro's have used a 226 and I bet a few have used both of the others as their personal boats too. It's June, go buy one!

All those boats are crazy but i personally would go with the malibu. It costs 10k less and the wake is better than anything else there and its one of the most comfortable and spacious boats you'll ever be in.

I had an 05 Malibu LSV and loved it. Just sold it and bought an 07. It had 85 hours on it and I got $47500 out of it and it didn't have racks or a big stereo. You will love the Malibu and they hold their value real well so you won't have a problem getting rid of it. Good luck

i ride behind an 06 x-30. the boat is nice, it is VERY roomy with a ton of storage space. with some extra weight it can produce a nice wake, and it makes a very nice surf wake. the biggest drawback is its turning. it is pathetic. i too am a novice, so i dont want to say too much without just blowing smoke.

Isn't the layout pretty much exactly the same on the X-30 as the LSV, save for not getting a full sundeck on the back of the X-30(which I would count as a minus)? That is actually one of the things I don't like on the 226... When just kicking it, we spend a lot of time sprawled across the back on the sundeck. Dealing with a slot with fiberglass or a cutout would irritate me at best.

Still say the LSV....and really, the more I think about it...."for me" it is not even close. If shopping right now for a boat, the LSV would be on my short list. The 226 and X-30 wouldn't even get a look. Again, that is just me.....everyone has their opinions and both the X-30 and 226 are perfect boats for some people.

I also want to preface that we don't know "that" much of the boats you are considering. Are they all equipped with standard power plants or do any have upgrades?

Does the Malibu have the wedge? Does the Malibu have 4 tank ballast(that was an option right ?), two in back, one in the walkthrough and one in the bow?

All three would be coming with tandem trailers I assume? Anyone throwing in their gear, if not that is going to be about 1K at least without counting boards, skis, tubes...whatever you want. But ropes, anchors, bumpers, vests ect will add up quickly.

What about covers, biminis and the like?

Just did a quick search and looks like it(the Malibu) is a solid deal. If the boat you are looking at, is the boat locally that came up in my search....it is beautiful. Also looks to have some nice options.

All have 340 to 350HP engines, so that aspect is equal. The Malibu has the standard wedge, and 4 ballast set up, basic CG gear on each boat, each have a nice cover and bimini. The Malibu is the '05 in AZ so if you saw the blue & black one thats her.

For now its a decision between the LSV and the X-30. Form or Function...? I really love the feel of the X-30- layout, storage, comfort, looks are all perfect. Yes the steering is blah, but rocks in rough water for sure! The Malibu sure is nice, but doesnt have the same "feel" or storage as the X-30. Not to mention of both boats the 2006 X-30 x/36 hours!!! for 55K is the best "deal" I have found.

I guess now I am trying to convince my self that that Malibu is a better boat, better wake, and a better deal...

The difference between 36 hours and 80 hours should not even be a consideration. They both have extremely low hours . The LSV has just as much storage as the X-30. I just installed a full stereo in my friends LSV and my god you can sleep and entire village in the storge compartments. If the rear tanks take up to much rrom then pull them out and install 2 fly high 400lb sack. when empty they take up no space and when full you will still have some storage on top.

I personnaly liked the LSV wake better then the X-30. Both were a bit too rampy for me but with the wedge down and a little extra weight in the back the LSV has a lippy wake ( which is what i like). Surf wake is awesome loaded up.

If you are set on buying the X-30 then do it and dont look back. My vote again is for the LSV.

There are no rear tanks in an 05 LSV, all ballast is under floor. 04's had the hard ballast tanks above the floor. I would swoop that LSV that boat will throw a much bigger and better wake than the rest with just stock ballast. Throw some extra sacks in there and OMG!

By E Double U (three6ty) on Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 10:40 am: Edit Post Delete Post Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) The difference between 36 hours and 80 hours should not even be a consideration.

-Agreed.

I will say this, if the X-30 floats your boat....don't buy the LSV and leave yourself wondering. Again, IMO....unless there is something I am not seeing, I just don't see what the X-30 has for 10K more....or for me, for even money. But the boat is not for me or my family, so that is the beauty of all this. Hell, I wouldn't go spend X dollars for a 60K deck boat, but others do all the time... I am sure there are a ton of people who look at my boat and wonder why the heck someone would pay X dollars for that.... It is what you want and what grabs you. In the end, that is what matters.

That said.... I think if your final decision hedges on wake, it appears that the majority feel that it is not close. I stay out of that game.

Also, in the end, you have a year more of depreciation built in to the LSV....that is a bonus come time to sell IMO. Meaning it will not take as big of hit this next year..... Boats tend to take their biggest hits in the first few years, then settle to a slow crawl. For whatever that is worth.

Jason, if you don't mind spending the extra 10 g's and it's not a problem, go with what you like. if the bu is a little baked(interior) and the x-30 is premium i would'nt look at the bu now that you've mentioned that. If you like the x-30, that's what you should get. the only reason most of us have tried telling you to get the bu is that all these boats can perform amazingly well. but at the end of the day, that extra 10 g's is well kept in your pocket. Like i said, if you feel like you want the x-30, your the one that is going to be paying for, driving this boat and nobody else. it will perform every bit as good as the other 2 options. get the boat that you feel will get the most looks, and you'll feel most proud in.

Ryan, Once again thanks for the great advice! I will keep an open mind, I just want to be out playing and end this search! I will not settle, but finding a quality boat now is my focus. Its really less about the money and more about getting a boat that will make a nice wake and have plenty of room and comfort for all my peeps. Wake surfing will be our #1 priority, then wakeboarding...

Sounds like you are going to pass on the 05 LSV. I am looking for one and wanted to ask you to tell me more about the boat since you took it out for a ride. I am in Florida so going for a look is not convenient unless I'm really serious about that specific boat. Please tell me your honest review!

Hey Jason, I believe at the end of the day that all boats will throw up a great wake. I love my enzo, the room is amazing, storage is awesome and I love the look of the boat. I chose to buy from a dealer about 20 minutes from the lake i go to for service and they are awesome to deal with. Mastercraft is prob one of my favorite boats for looks(they are awesome) and seeing as how i was set on buying new i couldnt' afford the mastercraft(comparable x-30). the quality of the mastercraft is where the bar is set(in my opinion) for quality and style, but you also pay prob an extra 10 g(or so) for the word mastercraft to be on the side of your boat. it's like buying a cadillac. the quality and craftmanship is all in the vehicle, but you get to pay extra to have cadillac on the side of your car.

The only reason I suggest to look at the bu being 10 g's less is because now that i'm in a situation where i've got boat payments, it wouldn't have made a difference if i bought a 3-5 year old boat and it would be paid off by now. but if money isnt' that big of a deal, get what you like. Alot of opinions on here are pretty biased(and good reason) but at the end of the day your basically buying a boat based on others opinions and not what you like. if the looks of the boat catch your eye, the performance will be there with the mastercraft, and you have a good dealer to deal with, jump on that mastercraft. my uncle has a 20 year old mastercraft that we surf on all day long and love it. 20 footer, but the wake is awesome and we are all able to get in and have a good time. sorry for the book, but get the boat that you want and feel is best for ya. the wake with weight will become whatever you want. any other q's pm me.

I don't get it. My boats stay outside, they get used, heck, I don't even wash them that often. Yesterday a couple friends were over that had not seen my boat. It's a 2005 with a bit over 250 hours, it has never spent the night in a garage, I have a good cover and use it. They thought the boat was new or that it was new last year. What do people do that makes a 2005 boat with only 80 hours look to have sunned interior?

That said, yes, pass on the Bu. I did look at a three year old boat that lived under a tree all of it's life. The interior was trashed becuase it had spend most of it's life with tree droppings on the interior.

If I could have found the right boat at the right price I would have bought used (as I did when I bought my 1995 in 1997). After looking for a year my wife got a little frustrated with my search and just told me to buy a new boat!

I just found out yesterday that my buddy's X-30 is up for sale. Let me know if you want to add another one to the mix. You already have a picture of it.